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PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE

PHI2HPB

Not currently offered

Credit points: 15

Subject outline

The modern sciences emerged in the seventeenth century, deepening our understanding of our place in the world by means of theories that offered comprehensive explanations of how nature worked. There was hope that plant, animal and human life could in the end be reduced to physical theories delivering exact predictions, resulting in ever more powerful control over the contingencies of everyday life. By the nineteenth century, the advances in biology had led to a schism between religion and the sciences - one that still exists in many forms. But while some of the sciences have made enormous progress, others have failed to deliver the promised goods. This subject explores what is meant by notions like "explanation", "prediction", the question of scientific methodology, discusses the relationship between theory and observation, and considers whether there are any objective standards by which to judge good and bad science.

SchoolSchool of Humanities & Social Sciences

Credit points15

Subject Co-ordinatorJake Chandler

Available to Study Abroad StudentsYes

Subject year levelYear Level 2 - UG

Exchange StudentsYes

Subject particulars

Subject rules

Prerequisites Available to students from any School who have completed 30cp 1st year subjects. All other students require coordinator's approval.

03. Work collaboratively towards the formulation of a shared position in relation to the defensibility of a philosophical idea, claim or argument taking into account the relevant views of group members